Hearts and Secrets
by Saturdaychick
Summary: A bit of Phantom candy for Valentine's Day.


**Hearts and Secrets**

There was a terrific clamor and sense of excitement Erik noticed as he skulked in the shadows behind the scenes after the finish of the ballet rehearsal. "Hmmm" he paused behind a huge urn on a pedestal, a prop from some former opera. What WAS going on?  
"The managers wanted to reward us," it was Melisande, one of the lead ballerinas who was speaking, "They said ever since Christine took over as the lead soprano, sales have never been so good and they want to celebrate that success with this ball. A special St. Valentine's Day Ball. It will be just divine, I hear they will spare no expense."  
"I am so excited! Do you think Francois will ask me to the St. Valentine's Day Ball?" one of the younger ballet de corps members fluttered. What was her name? Ah, Angelique. He knew all their names. "I'm sure he will" this was the delightful Meg Giry who spoke, "and I am hoping Count Henri du Bois will ask me. He is so handsome, and we would look so sophisticated together, don't you think?" He was obviously her crush of the moment, Erik smiled to himself. Then almost choked as she babbled on " And I know one thing, Raoul will be asking Christine! I heard him telling his brother, Philippe, right after they left the manager's office. He said that he would not take no for an answer and that St. Valentine's Day was the perfect time to propose! I wanted to rush and tell her… but that would spoil the surprise! Or would it? I would definitely want to know…so I could prepare myself and look fantastic! Anyway, Mother is having a dress made for me. All the ladies who attend are supposed to wear red and men are in black tie! I can't wait!"

Erik's mood was now spoiled. He could almost picture a black cloud forming over his head as he thought of that pretty, rich boy, Raoul. He had everything, a title, an estate, apartments in Paris, anything he desired was his, so it seemed. He could offer Christine a life few could dream of. Damn him. "What can I offer her? A cellar." He muttered to himself as he made his way through the secret passages behind the dressing rooms. "And a heart that would beat only for her" he sighed. "She would never be loved with such passion as I would lay at her feet."  
Not long after this musing he found himself in his place behind the mirror in Christine's dressing room. He glanced up and into the room and there she was. She was sitting at her little dressing table, brushing her hair and humming. His ears perked up. She was humming an aria from his Don Juan Triumphant.  
Before he had a moment to wonder what that meant, Meg burst into Christine's room. "Christine! I have to tell you. Well, I swore I wouldn't, Mama would be so annoyed with me but…"  
"Calm down, Meg!" Christine embraced her dearest friend. "Is it about the Ball? I already heard. News travels fast through the Opera House!" she laughed.  
"You know? Oh, well, that was only part of my news. Can you guess? Raoul is going to ask you to go with him! And…" she was out of breath and had to pause before she could continue with the best surprise "And… I overheard him tell Philippe he is going to propose to you! At the Ball! It is SO romantic. I wonder if anything that wonderful will ever happen to me?"  
Christine just sat staring, almost uncomprehending these words spilling from Meg's lovely pink lips.  
"Um, so you heard him say that? I don't know what to think."  
"It's like a fairy tale come true" Meg went on. "Oh! Mama will be looking for me. I better go. Promise you won't let on to anyone I spoiled your surprise. I thought you should know. So, you can prepare yourself, and look so beautiful, he will think you are a princess!"

As soon as Meg was out the door, Christine did not react as he had feared she would. He expected her to swoon with happiness. To twirl around the room and just glow with her excitement at this news.

Instead, she sat on her bed and rested her face in her hands. "Raoul, you are too impetuous" she said aloud. Erik leaned closer. "I value your friendship, you know I always will. But I could never marry you." Here she stood, and sighed. "I don't love you. My heart belongs to another. Why are these words so hard to say. Why can't I just tell him? Tell him my heart beats only for him."  
Those were his very words, Erik thought. Who was this she was speaking of?  
She spoke to the mirror…"Oh, Angel. You keep your distance. I have seen your face. I am not afraid. Seeing you only made me want you more, to love you, to take away the pain you've suffered all those years." A tear rolled down her cheek, and she wiped it away with the back of her hand.

Erik stood frozen. He could have, at this moment, stepped into the dressing room, and taken her in his arms. But a plan was forming. He glanced at her once more, and turned away.

Three weeks later, it was the night of the grand St, Valentine's Day Ball. Monsieur's Andre and Firmin stood delightedly, champagne flutes in hand, toasting the success of the current season. Around them swanned the crème de la crème of the opera world, the women in shades of red from the palest shades of rose to the deepest blood red. The Opera orchestra played as couples danced around the grand ball room. Meg, on the arm of the very handsome Count Henri, waltzed and laughed and waved to her friends.

Christine entered and stood at the top of the grand staircase. She was in a gorgeous burgundy velvet gown with a choker of jet beads around her throat and her lovely curls in an attractive upswept style held in place with a garnet and jet comb. She looked around the room. She had turned down Raoul's request to accompany him and he had petulantly invited Melisande in hopes of making Christine jealous, but her eyes were not on him. They were on a tall, striking man who crossed the floor, dressed elegantly all in black with an opera cloak sweeping about him, its hood raised to conceal his features.  
"Erik" she breathed as he floated up the staircase to stand beside her. From within his cloak he removed a deep red rose corsage tied with a black ribbon. He leaned forward and pinned it to the shoulder of her dress, just above the deep neckline. "So, you liked my little gift?" he whispered. He had sent the dress and necklace and comb with a note that read "From your Secret Admirer".  
"I knew it was you," she laughed.  
"So you did. And how did you know? I tried to be so discrete…" he took her arm, lowered his hood, and there they stood for all to see, the mysterious masked man and the most beautiful woman in Paris.  
She laughed again! "You had Madame Giry order the dress for you! So, Meg told me"

They both smiled at this and he led her down the staircase and onto the floor of the ball room where her took her in his arms and they danced the night away. He had thought to propose to her, he had a ring, especially made for her, but the vision of Raoul popped into his mind and he decided something so important should not be declared in a room full of strangers. He would wait, because now that she was decidedly his, he knew there would be another time.


End file.
